I've had a busy couple of years. In 2010 I graduated college (after 8 years in school). I've been engaged twice. I had to move for work, then move again for a significantly better job. Work-wise I have a career building job as an environmental geologist that not only helps me grow professionally, it lets me go to Burning Man! Hell, it even supports my Burn as a means for personal growth! Oh, did I mention that throughout it all I haven't missed the playa once since 2008? I'm a dirty burner, yes-I-am. At least I have some consistency throughout it all.

It's good to be back!! Now, how on earth do I make it all come together this year so I can make it to the playa in comfort? Hotels?! Real cars? I'm even considering upgrading my wheels for the playa. I'm going to buy a real car. No more driving to Burning Man in a Miata.

BTW, it's time I revive some hair-brained schemes this year. Time to root through my old threads on ePlaya! You'll be seeing a lot more of me!

I'm the newest hire at an environmental consulting firm. We do environmental assessment in property transactions, site cleanup for service stations and dry cleaners (and other sites). In general we do groundwater, soil, and soil gas work for properties that have some kind of environmental impact. It's interesting work and I get to feel like I make the planet a little better. The only really sad part is realizing just how much we've destroyed our little blue spaceship. It's safe to say that almost every gas station or dry cleaners that was in operation until the 1980s had a release of some size. Some of them are huge. Sometimes they didn't notice a leak until they compared the gas they were selling vs buying and thought to themselves "Huh, we sold 25,000 gallons of gas last month but we purchased 30,000 gallons..."

Interesting. I have a somewhat different viewpoint (not necessarily a different opinion) involved with much larger projects. (From further away.) Although, I know there are people who do LUST work in other parts of the building.

The Lady with a Lamprey

"The powerful are exploiting people, art and ideas, and this leads to us plebes debating how to best ration ice.
Man, no wonder they always win....." Lonesomebri

bm_cricket wrote:I'm the newest hire at an environmental consulting firm. We do environmental assessment in property transactions, site cleanup for service stations and dry cleaners (and other sites). In general we do groundwater, soil, and soil gas work for properties that have some kind of environmental impact. It's interesting work and I get to feel like I make the planet a little better. The only really sad part is realizing just how much we've destroyed our little blue spaceship. It's safe to say that almost every gas station or dry cleaners that was in operation until the 1980s had a release of some size. Some of them are huge. Sometimes they didn't notice a leak until they compared the gas they were selling vs buying and thought to themselves "Huh, we sold 25,000 gallons of gas last month but we purchased 30,000 gallons..."

It's eye opening and a little depressing.

Some years back, I found myself feeling a daily melancholy, and only what I can describe as a distinct feeling of "unreality" for a few minutes after work every day. I realized that the trippy feeling was always at the same time of day, but more strangely, in the same place, passing a bus stop.

I realized that I was being steeped in the exhaust from a dry cleaning establishment. Creepy.

So I just wash my work clothes on cold, and thank my lucky stars I rarely have to wear a suit.

*** 2018 Survival Guide ***
"I must've lost it when I was twerking at the trash fence." -- BBadger

bm_cricket wrote:I'm the newest hire at an environmental consulting firm. We do environmental assessment in property transactions, site cleanup for service stations and dry cleaners (and other sites). In general we do groundwater, soil, and soil gas work for properties that have some kind of environmental impact. It's interesting work and I get to feel like I make the planet a little better. The only really sad part is realizing just how much we've destroyed our little blue spaceship. It's safe to say that almost every gas station or dry cleaners that was in operation until the 1980s had a release of some size. Some of them are huge. Sometimes they didn't notice a leak until they compared the gas they were selling vs buying and thought to themselves "Huh, we sold 25,000 gallons of gas last month but we purchased 30,000 gallons..."

It's eye opening and a little depressing.

Some years back, I found myself feeling a daily melancholy, and only what I can describe as a distinct feeling of "unreality" for a few minutes after work every day. I realized that the trippy feeling was always at the same time of day, but more strangely, in the same place, passing a bus stop.

I realized that I was being steeped in the exhaust from a dry cleaning establishment. Creepy.

So I just wash my work clothes on cold, and thank my lucky stars I rarely have to wear a suit.

Wow Sav! I just looked into that. I had no Idea that that is a known thing. I lived upstairs and to the side from a drycleaners, and I was very troubled at the time. had no Idea to even question that. I'm verry empathetic in that I respond to my environment almost to a point of it being a disability. but I had no Idea.

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Oh yeah, this year I was totally twerping out at the fence. ~Lonesombri

bm_cricket wrote:Does anyone know the last time this worked? I just tried getting a room on the 31st of August and they were quoting me at $80+Tax. Kind'a weird. They also wanted to use the code Burning13, not Burn13. Anyway, have any of you had this experience? I plan to call them next week to try during regular business hours. Maybe I'll get another answer.

PS, THANK YOU FOR SETTING THIS UP! ALL CAPS! WOO!

i just booked a room for sept 2nd (called on friday). the woman i spoke to had no idea about the BDV deal, and quoted me $30. i double checked my room for before the burn, same deal.

"Settle down you two and play nice - or no dubstep for either." mdmf007"Just look for camp 'Bad Mother Fucker' and ask for Jules." Supafly_fresh

We stayed at the Sands both before and after and it was a great deal. The room was serviceable and there was plenty of parking although my spouse did try to take the car with stuff piled on top into the covered parking. FYI that PVC isn't just a suggestion for height limitations! Unfortunately, on the night afterwards we were charged a higher rate than we'd been quoted. I didn't have paperwork that specified the price and we didn't feel like arguing at that point so we just paid the-whatever it was, $20 or $30 more. If we stay there again I'll ask them to send an email with our reservation and the rates so we won't have any surprises. However it went it was a great deal! Thanks BDC and Dr. Pyro!!

I just spoke to my contact at The Sands and it seems that "New Management" has indeed changed the parameters of the deal. First off, they changed the code to BURNING13. And they did raise the prices. Monday August 19-Thursday August 22 is now $30 (none of these figures include tax). Friday August 23 and Saturday August 24 is $60, Sunday August 25 through Thursday August 29 is $30, Friday August 30 is $60, Saturday August 31 and Sunday September 1 is $80 (Labor Day weekend), Monday September 2 through Wednesday September 4 is back to $30. By checking Expedia or one of their competitors you might well be able to do better than $80. I am very disappointed with The Sands that after three years of faithful service, they would change the pricing structure after we had agreed upon a set price. As I have maintained, I don't get so much as a compped room out of this, I just have used them in the past and they have been willing to play ball. I guess this is as good a sign as any that the economy must be improving.

Dr. Pyro, thanks for setting this up. I am pretty bummed about this too. It's bad for professional relationships to change agreements after-the-fact. Hopefully you are willing to help arrange a new deal next year. I know that a lot of burners use this every year and appreciate it. I've used it a couple of times myself. It makes the long drive home a lot better and safer after a good nights sleep and a shower.

and if we'd all even just call to ask questions regarding Doc's deal, it'll give him leverage in negotiations!! we should all call, and just ask, and then ask maybe why the deal is so "thin". enough interest, and you know they'll take doc for the heavy hitter he really is!!

ygmir wrote:and if we'd all even just call to ask questions regarding Doc's deal, it'll give him leverage in negotiations!! we should all call, and just ask, and then ask maybe why the deal is so "thin". enough interest, and you know they'll take doc for the heavy hitter he really is!!

Sadly most people will just buy the inflated room because it is a sure thing. For people like me who have to leave early and pay quite a lot more than 30+tax it is a bummer. I did call and nag and question but I don't know the right person to ask or the right people to talk to. I'm just bummed that they decided to back out of a deal they already agreed to. I dislike that on principle.

We should all call them and nag. Even those of us who do have the better rate.

Thanks, (((Doc))) *smooch* I just now (finally) made my reservations for the Sands, 2 rooms on August 21 and one room September 3 and got the $30 rate no problem. To book on-line use the BURNING13 group code.

The internet rate has gone up to $45 per night mid week so I wish I had caught the $27 rate before this "new management" jacked the price up.

But $30 a night is still a great deal.

"Burning Man ruined my life as I knew it, and I have never been happier." -mgb327

Hi everyone, We just booked our rooms at the rates mentioned other then $27 a night now being $30 a night. Really at a $3 hike in price we are still getting 5 nights(2 before 3 after) in a hotel for less then what we would normally pay here in Nova Scotia for 1.5 nights with far less offered. Thanks for sharing the info. Helps out a lot for those of us already stretching the budget coming in from some distance. Greatly appreciated.